Still



www www@ J. L. MAJQEI STILL LIGHT MPR F Inventor J. L. MAJOR STILL yum m w24-a 3,496,899

vFiled Sept.. 4. 1923 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 J. L. MAJOR `lme l0 1924e STILL- Filed Sept. 4. 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Inventor Patented .lune l0, i924.

JOHN LEWIS MAJOR, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

` Smm.

Application filed September a, 1923. Serial No. 660,796.

lTo all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN LEWIS MAJOR, a subject of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, residing at 12 Norfolk Street, London, W..C. 2, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements Relating to Stills, of which the following is a specication.

This invention relates to the continuous distillation or evaporation of liquids such as crude petroleum or tar, and has among its objects to facilitate evaporation and to ensure good fractionation.

The invention especially relates to the subject lmatter of the prior Patent No. 1,415,667

which relates to a method for the distillation of liquids, in which the liquid to be distilled is fed to the still in a number of streams through a plurality of pipes extendin from the bottom up through the liquid 1n the still under conditions in which the liquid gradually acquires the tempera- \ture.necessary for the' dlstillation to be effected or to be commenced before overflowing from the ipes into the body of liquid in the still, t e li hter vapours being disengaged on the liqui emerging from theI pipes, and passed out from the still.

The invention has among its objects to improve the construction and operation of such astill and to rovide simple and effective means for fee ing the liquid to be distilled under pressure;

According to one part of the present invention there is provlded within the vapour space in the still above the pipes through which the liquid to be distilled is fed into the still in the manner described, a horizontall disposed plate or tray against the undcrace of which the lighter vapours as they are released from the pipes impinge, and this plate or tray may be provided in a number of separate arts in the same plane. Where the vapours rom thestill are passed 45 through a column or dephlegmator for better fractionation, the return liquid therefrom is discharged on to the plate or tray through a sealed outlet preferably provided within the still and in position above the plate or tray. The plate or tray is advantageously rovided with a steam coil or coils throu h w ich the passage of steam is controlle by' a valve or valves situated outside the still and such of the return liquid as is pressures.

not vaporized on the tray flows therefrom into the body of liquid in the still. l The plate referred to may be provided as a .tray with a flange or edge which may be n otched to facilitate the overflow of the llquid discharged on to the tray, into the body of liquid in the still. i

'According to another part of the invention the pi es provided.within the still and through w ich the liquid passes before admission to the bulk of liquid in the still, are each provided at their upper open ends with a dead weight valve adapted to close the open ends of the pipes, so that thus the liquid within the pipes is subjected to pressure before release through the valve, and such valves may be adjustable .to give varying The valves advantageously take a simple form,such for example as that of p a circular disc, block or ball of metal to which is connected a concentric downwardly depending and relatively long stem of small diameter which upon the disc or block being placed in position upon the upper end of the pipe, passes into the pipe and thus maintains the valve in its position. There may also be provided a stem above the disc, block or ball for the reception of additional weights and these may also pass through a guide or4 guides attached to the pipe to maintain the valve in a vertical position. The upper' end of the pipes may be of an enlarged diameterV onsize or of a reduced diameter -or size and may be provided if desired with an outer rim or flange for the better fit of the valve. Since these pipes are under pressure, it is necessary in the case of a series of stills that umps are employed between the stills for ceding the liquid thereto and that a pump is also provided v for feedin the liquid into the first of the series shou-d there by an .insuicient head of liquid to overcome the pressure of thev vvalves and the pressure within the still.

According to the invention, moreover, the upper ends of the plurality of pipes may be provided to discharge into a common receptacle in which pressure is maintained, and from which on a predetermined degree of pressure being attained, the liquid discharges through one or a number of outlets normally closedby a valve or valves. These valves may be maintained on their seats by their 'dead weight, by means of weighted levers or by any other convenient means, permitting of the discharge of the liquid from the receptacle into the still under the pressure prevailing within the receptacle.

'lhree constructions of still, provided. according to the invention are illustrated in the accompanying diagrammatic drawings by way of example.

Figure 1 represents a sectional elevation of a construction of still provided with a horizontally disposed plate or tray above the outlets of the pipes through which the liquid to be distilled is fed into the still.

' Figure 2 is a sectional elevation of a modied construction of still.

Figure 3 represents a further modification in construction of the still.

Referring to Figure l of the drawings the still casing a, which may be of circular formation, is provided to receive within it a number of series of liquid inlet pipes fitted upon casings c supported by a frame or partition d and connected to an inlet pipe e for the supply of the liquid.

Above the outlets of the pipes b there is provided in the vapour space of the still aA horizontally disposed plate or tray f against the under face of which the lighter vapours discharged from the pipes b impinge.

An outlet for the vapour is provided at` g and, where Vthe vapours are passed through a column or dephlegmator, the resulting liquid may be returned by way of the pipe L-into the tray f, the outlet of the pipe z. being disposed below the level of liquid maintained in the tray. The edge of the tray is advanta eously notched to facilitate. the discharge o the liquid therefrom and a steam heatin .coilz' is also advantageously provided. 'l e discharge of liquidfrom the still isiedected by way of the outlet pipe j which is open at the bottom and at the top and near the top is carried in an outlet pipe fitting as illustrated in the Figures.

ln the construction illustrated in Figure 2 the liquid is released from the pipes b under' pressure produced by theprovision of dead weight valves Ic mounted in the outlets of the pipes. Such valves may be of any convenient construction and as illustrated they maycomprise disc valves having stems of considerable length adaptedv to be received into the pipes b, such stems being extended upwardly for the reception of weights by which the pressure exerted by the valve may be adjusted.

In the constructionillustrated in Figure the series of pipes Z1 are provided with their respective outlet extremities connected to deliver into closed receptacles Z having outlets m closed by deadrweight valves n acting after the manner of the valves l: of the construction illustrated in Figure 2. The rece tacles Z may be connected one with the ot er by communicating pipes o serving to raeaece equalize the pressure in the several receptacles Z.

llt will be understood that any form of receptacle may be employed. The upper ends of the pipes aforesaid may for example be connected to acommon tubular or other fitting upon which an outlet valve or valves may be applied through which the liquid discharges ,in the manner described, or the upper ends of the pipes may be connected to a drum mounted in the vapour space above the bulk of liquid in the still or otherwise disposed. or again instead of valves the outlet or outlets for liquid from the receptacle may be provided of small area whereby the liquid may be outwardly sprayed from the receptacle under the pressure maintained therein.

lt will be understood that the liquid to be distilled may be fed` to the still under a pressure head, or it may be ted thereto by means of a pump, and that on the liquid discharging lfrom the plurality of pipes through which it is fed, it passes to the bulk of liquid in the still whence it is withdrawn. llt will also be understood that the constructions of still described with reference to Figures 2 and 3 of the drawings may be provided with trays in the manneraccording to the first part of the invention.

ll claim:

l. ln a still, in combination, a still casing, a plurality of upwardly directed feed pipes for the liquid to be distilled, said pipes being disposed Within said casing and having outlets at their upper ends, a receptacle for liquid connected to the outlet of the said pipes, and means applied to said receptacle for the discharge ot' the liquid therefrom.

2. lin a still, in combination, a. still casing, a lplurality of upwardly directed feed pipes for the liquid to be distilled, said pi es being disposed within said casing and) having outlets at their upper ends, a. receptacle for liquid connected to the outlet ends of the said pipes, a lnumber of outlets to the said receptacle, and valves applied to the said outlets to determine the discharge of liquid from the receptacle.

3. ln a still, in combination, astill casing, a plurality of upwardly directed feed pi es for the liquid to be distilled, said pipes eing disposed within saidcasing and havin outlets at their upper ends, a plurality 0% receptacles for liqu1d each connected tothe outlet ends of a number of the said pipes, and means applied to the said receptacles for the restricted discharge of the liquid therefrom, substantially as described.

4. In a still, in combination, a still casing, a plurality of upwardly directed feed pi es for the liquid 'to be distilled, saidv pi es heing disposed within said casing and aving outlets at their upper ends, a plurality or receptacles for liquid each connected to the Sil lll@

outlet ends of a number of the said pipes,l

means applied to the said receptacles for the restricted discharge of the liquid therefrom, 'and a baille device supported 1n said casing 5 above said feed pipes.

5. In a still, in combination, a still casing, a plurality of upwardly directed feed pipes for the liquid to be distilled, the said pipes being disposed within the said casing and 10 having outlets at their'upper ends, a plurality of receptacles connected to the said outlets, means applied to the said rece tacles to restrict the outward ow of liquid therefrom, a shallow tray in the upper part of the still transversely disposed and immedia'ly above the said receptacles, and means adapted to apply heat to a liquid in the said shallow tray.

JOHN LEWIS MAJOR. 

